on nights such as these
by cyanoscarlet
Summary: Yuuri knows how all this will end. Victor - beautiful, beloved Victor - will complete his divine task and return to his crystal slumber, while he will die a wretched, goddamned human, alone and forever tainted by history as the one who dared love a l'Cie. [In which Victor is cursed, Yuuri is human, and they both fall in love just the same. Loosely based on the mythos of FF13.]


Yuuri is drawn the most to the statue's bright, blue eyes – the most beautiful he has ever seen.

He is transfixed on the spot as he looks up in wonder at the unusual monument, the figure of a beautiful, naked man with long, flowing hair, raising his hands to the sky. Surrounded by overgrown foliage, the man-sculpture looks even more enrapturing than Adonis himself, the soft moonlight casting an ethereal glow to its crystalline form. It is truly a mystery why such a thing of beauty is left here to waste away in a dark, abandoned forest.

The young boy focuses once more on the statue's eyes. They seem to catch a flicker of light, and he thinks he sees a flash of loneliness in them. A gentle wind blows from the north, carrying with it shrill, worried voices calling out his name.

Yuuri gives the statue one last, lingering gaze, a mix of admiration, longing and something vague clouding his childlike thoughts. The voices calling for him grow louder and nearer, and he blinks back tears before finally trudging on the worn path from which he came.

He thinks he hears his name being echoed from behind, a soft, gentle whisper in the air.

He cries the whole way back.

.

He barely makes the last airship, and he cannot contain his overflowing relief as he sinks into his seat. The young man is too winded from running across end-to-end terminals to care about his sweat staining the cheap upholstery.

Yuuri Katsuki, Atlas University's newest class valedictorian at twenty-three, almost didn't make it to his interview for a boring desk job at the Civil Service Department. Now _there's_ a funny story he could tell the kids someday - plus the importance of punctuality, and all that jazz.

An in-flight service crew member approaches him not long after he's settled in. He places orders for mineral water and a bowl of _katsudon_.

Yuuri hooks his chin over the ledge, absently observing the moonlight filtering through the sea of clouds below them. This kind of scenery is very much his aesthetic, and is one of the reasons why he prefers to fly at night. (That, and it's relatively cheaper.)

He is reminded of that night many years ago, when he saw a l'Cie in crystal stasis up close for the first time in his life.

 _((Yuko cries immediately when he finally meets up with them. Minako-_ sensei _and Takeshi berate him relentlessly soon after. "What if you got attacked by the forest Cie'th?!"_

 _He does not tell them about the beautiful man-sculpture by the lake.))_

Yuuri frowns as the fleeting thought leaves his mind. He knows better now; l'Cie are humans chosen by the gods, bound to live an eternity of loyal servitude in exchange for immortality and otherworldly power. L'Cie who accomplish their divine tasks or Focuses are rewarded with indefinite rest, turned into ornate crystal statues until the gods require their services once more. Those who fail, on the other hand, become mindless monsters called Cie'th, cursed to forever wander the barren lands to prey and be preyed on by the living.

No one understands how and why this phenomenon happens, but everyone agrees that it is better to die than to be branded a l'Cie.

The Sanctum, too, does not look kindly upon l'Cie, if the state-sponsored executions and mass purges are of any indication. Yuuri makes a mental note of this, reminding himself to be cautious if he wants to remain on the government's good side.

He banishes thoughts of the lifeless, crystalline visage from his mind, the beautiful but soulless blue eyes that, even now, haunt his dream at night.

He falls asleep to the silent whirring of the basement engines and a gentle voice whispering his name. _Good night, Yuuri,_ it says. _You'll be fine tomorrow._

.

Tomorrow never comes, however.

Yuuri attempts to break the thick glass window with a piece of rubble. A terrorist had apparently sneaked into the engine room, revealing themselves only now in the middle of the night to assassinate a high-profile Cabinet Minister who is also on this flight.

He vaguely recalls hearing a loud, strangled cry some distance away, plus gunshots and a neck snapping in half.

Everyone around him is dead, as well.

Terrified, he frantically hits the jagged stone repeatedly on the barrier, praying with every forceful strike for the glass to finally break. He doesn't want to be here, bloodied and ashen-faced and crying and soon _dead_.

Another explosion goes off, the shockwave blowing him away and sending him crashing into the disordered seats. Immediately, Yuuri scrambles up on his knees and runs away as far as his exhausted legs and hyperventilating lungs could take him.

He ends up in the tail-end cabin of the airship, crying in earnest while curled up in a fetal position behind one of the short couches. _This isn't supposed to happen, this isn't real, thisisntreal thisisntreal thisisntreal–_

A hand suddenly comes down on his shoulder, effectively cutting off his panicked, obsessive mantra. "There you are, Yuuri! Are you okay?"

He instinctively looks up into the eyes of his savior – beautiful and haunting and a bright, bright blue.

Long, glowing, silver hair. Flawless, pale skin and a perfectly-chiseled face. Heart-shaped lips that are pursed in a questioning manner, waiting for his response.

Yuuri is unable to back away, completely paralyzed with fear. He spots the l'Cie brand on the man's left chest, partially hidden by a half-buttoned, bloodied, gray jumpsuit that is a little too loose on his tall, slender frame.

He is the most beautiful person Yuuri has ever seen.

The l'Cie frowns, his eyes furrowed in mild annoyance. "We should get out of here, Yuuri," he says evenly. "The PSICOM are coming any minute now."

Yuuri realizes he's going to die, either way.

He numbly takes the hand offered to him.

((The burning airship explodes behind them as they leap off the viewing deck.))

.

"How do you know my name?"

The l'Cie stops walking at the sudden question. Until then, he had not responded to anything Yuuri asked - _who are you, what the hell is going on, what do you want with me, why did you save my life._

The long-haired man faces him serenely, and Yuuri is reminded of the beautiful sculpture that has enraptured him many, many years ago, on a night just like this.

"I heard voices from far away," the l'Cie says with a smile. "They called for you. They called you Yuuri."

Yuuri's breath hitches at the way his name is uttered - carefully, reverently, as if in prayer.

It _is_ his own, after all.

"That's me," he concurs. "I'm Yuuri Katsuki. What's your name?"

A flicker of light is reflected in the other man's eyes, and it is as if he suddenly comes back to life all over again. "It's Victor," he finally answers, as the wind blows and blue rose petals dance. "Victor Nikiforov."

.

(("Yuuri, I need your help."))

.

 _Maybe life as a fugitive isn't so bad,_ Yuuri thinks to himself as he heats up the gruel from last night's dinner, watching the city unrest from the safety of their rundown apartment. He no longer has to think about reputation and taxes and responsibilities to the state. He is practically being pampered and taken care of by this beautiful, otherworldly man, who always goes the extra mile to make him feel special. And he's glad he took Home Ec classes seriously back then, because Victor loves to eat, and Yuuri loves the way his eyes light up and his mouth widens into that heart-shaped smile as he squeals "Vkusno!" with every bite.

In a nutshell, Victor runs all the errands, while Yuuri keeps house. It's as simple as it gets.

Except that it _isn't_ , really.

It has been three months since the two have gone into hiding together, yet Yuuri doesn't have the slightest idea of exactly what it is Victor needs from him. Was he a hostage? Not a chance; the Sanctum has already declared him a wanted criminal for aligning himself and conspiring with a l'Cie. There are even charges of terrorism and murder, on top of the public witch hunts and the rising bounty on his and Victor's heads.

A suitable "companion", perhaps? That, too, was out. Victor has not expressed any intentions towards him so far, and he doesn't seem like the type of person who would. Maybe having lived for more than five hundred years now has all but erased his humanity.

Victor, who wears his heart on his sleeve and tells a million stories about his dog, is not human.

Yuuri has not forgotten that, but decides that he doesn't care. To him, Victor is Victor, and no one (or nothing) else. It's the only thing that matters.

There is a knock on the door, and his eyes lighten up as he welcomes his roommate home.

He is greeted with a blunt force to his head and a gun to his temple.

((The Sanctum has not forgotten, either.))

.

He wakes up in a small room, chained, wet and shivering. It is not his first time to pass out, Yuuri eventually recalls, as a gloved hand grabs him by his hair and submerges his head in freezing water. On instinct, he struggles against his torturer, the cold liquid going into his lungs even more as he tries his damnedest to breathe.

His agony is abruptly relieved as he is lifted out and above the ground, and he desperately kicks his shackled feet as he gasps for precious air.

"Where's the l'Cie?" the PSICOM officer asks, his deep, monotone voice partially muffled by his white helmet.

"I... don't.. know..." Yuuri manages to huff out in between painful coughs. He wonders if Victor has returned home yet, and hopes for both their sakes that he hasn't.

A tinkling, feminine laugh sounds from behind him. "You're not being very helpful, you know," its owner playfully tuts, and he can hear heavy steps from heeled military boots inching towards him. "How many times have you said that again?"

Yuuri barely processes the question, his head feeling light and his vision swimming from the lack of oxygen, but still. "Lost count..." he croaks weakly. "But I'll say it again... for as long as you want." He reinforces his fragile bravado with every word, managing a weak, lopsided smirk at the woman.

"This is getting us nowhere," the male officer comments, his hold on Yuuri slightly loosening. "Maybe he really doesn't know."

The woman sighs in disappointment, and from the periphery of his vision, he sees her rummaging through a bag tied to the thick, iron bars. "We've been at this for a full day, and he still won't talk. No sightings of the l'Cie, either." She walks over to them once more, and Yuuri notices the dark red hair peeking through her uniform helmet. "It's a shame, really; seems like he's left you behind."

 _No no no, that's not true -_

He tenses up as he feels a single baton poke at his side, the female officer's deep, menacing voice ringing in his ear. "For the last time, Yuuri Katsuki, where is he?"

Yuuri's eyes widen in fear. He wants to cry, to get out, to scream for help. For Victor.

But he can't. His voice catches in his throat the moment he opens his mouth, and he _can't_.

He grits his teeth hard instead, and makes up his mind.

"I don't know," Yuuri says for the last time, and he screams in pain as electricity suddenly courses through his soaked body like a worn lightning rod.

He thinks he sees hell freeze over in a fraction of a second before he blacks out.

.

Yuuri is genuinely surprised that he's still alive.

For a while, he is afraid to open his eyes. He doesn't want to see where his two captors have brought him. He feels a gentle hand on his shoulder, causing him to recoil back in terror and shakily turn over while curled up on himself.

Victor's voice coaxes him back into reality, every repetition of his name like a balm to his shocked soul.

Yuuri eventually relaxes, slowly cracking an eye open, then the other. He is met with the l'Cie's beautiful, blue eyes, illumined with the sea-green glow from a Curaga spell. He feels the pain eventually wash away, and tears form in his eyes - his ordeal has finally ended.

Victor cries, too, and envelops him in a bone-crushing hug. " _Oh_ , Yuuri... Thank the gods you're finally awake..."

They stay silent in each other's arms the whole night, in a mix of tears and feelings and words yet unsaid.

.

(("Victor, we need to talk."))

.

The next leg of their journey brings them to a lush, open meadow directly above ground. There are some monsters and a handful of Cie'th, which Victor makes quick work of. Soon, they are biting into juicy, roasted meat and succulent fruit, and Yuuri swears it's the best dinner they've had since their escape from the sky-city.

"Nothing really beats all-natural scenery," Victor happily remarks in between bites of food, a trail of fruit juice dribbling down his chin. "I mean, the sky-city is nice and modern and all, but it's different from home."

Yuuri laughs and hands the older man a thin cloth to wipe his mouth with. "So you've always lived like this five hundred years ago?" He snickers at the thought of Victor in primitive animal hides and loinskins, a funny image when contrasted to his current fashionista look. He looks just as good - no, maybe even _better_ \- with short hair.

The l'Cie's right eyebrow shoots up as he guesses what Yuuri's thinking, and he automatically waves his hand in defense. "No, no, of _course_ not! We also had buildings and toilets and cars and buses! Our phones and computers aren't nearly as advanced as yours, though."

Yuuri's mouth widens into a big 'O', and he almost drops his own piece of meat. "Wait, if what you're saying is true, then how did all that," and he gestures his other hand around the open expanse of sheer nature, "become _this_?"

"Everyone abandoned this place," Victor says matter-of-factly, pointedly looking at Yuuri like he's seen and heard it all. "Mother Nature simply took everything back, and things returned to the way they were."

An awkward silence momentarily fills the air, prompting Yuuri to change the subject. "... Tell me other interesting things about your world."

Victor purses his lips in thought, then his eyes sparkle and his lips form that ridiculous heart-shaped smile again. "I used to be a figure skater!"

" _Figure... skate?_ " Yuuri is understandably confused; he's never heard of such a sport.

"Yup, a figure skater!" Victor beams, raising up a wide-open hand. "I was a five-time World Champion, too!"

"W-Wait, I still don't get it!" Yuuri fumbles over his words, Victor's excited explanations flying over his head too fast. Fortunately, the other man seems to notice this, quietly trailing off and instead taking both Yuuri's hands into his own.

"I guess I'm not explaining myself well, huh," Victor muses. "Yura always did say I was never a good teacher."

Yuuri senses a pang of sadness at the mention of this Yura's name, so he does not probe any further. Before long, Victor returns to his usual disposition and pulls them both up, leading them away from the clearing. " _Shiva_!" he playfully calls out.

A few moments later, a beautiful, blue-skinned female eidolon materializes before them, and kneels at Victor's feet. He promptly lets go of Yuuri's hands and proceeds to carry on a one-sided conversation with the familiar. Yuuri chuckles to himself as he listens to Victor's constant shift in tone throughout the conversation, ranging from teasing to annoyance to whining to excitement, all while gesticulating widely with his arms the way only he could.

Finally, Victor returns to Yuuri's side, a triumphant smile on his face. "I got Shiva to make us a temporary ice rink! I'll teach you how to ice skate!"

" _Whaaat?!_ " Yuuri almost all but screeched, but is soon left speechless as he watches Shiva circle a large expanse of land, adding layer upon layer of ice on the grassy ground. The end result is a large, ovoid area covered with a thick sheet of smooth ice.

Yuuri steps forward and almost trips. Looking down at his feet, he finds sharp blades frozen in place to the soles of his shoes. He whips his head back up to Victor, who is now seated on a nearby fallen log, lacing up a pair of unusual boots with the same kind of blades underneath.

"Ahh, sorry about that," the l'Cie apologizes sheepishly, "but it'll hold, I promise."

They soon take to the ice, Victor guiding Yuuri along while he wobbled on his makeshift skates. He doesn't let go the whole time as they slowly glide on the frozen surface, rounding the corner for another lap.

"Yuuri, try bending your knees forward like this," Victor instructs. "Put a little more distance between your feet. You'll balance yourself that way."

Yuuri does as he's told, and he finds that his footing is now more stable. He grins in delight, and Victor returns it with a proud smile of his own. They each let a hand go, and start skating faster across the ice side by side, Victor's free laugh ringing in his ears.

It is another thing Yuuri commits to memory, adding it to the list of things he loves about Victor - his eyes, his hair, his face, his smile, his voice, his laugh.

His soft lips, as they press ever-so-gently on Yuuri's own.

They melt into each other's embrace at the center of the enchanted ice, thin snowflakes falling all around them beneath a clear, night sky, and Yuuri realizes that he's _in love_.

.

The derelict Great Library has an old, bulky mainframe that contains the largest database about the world before it was destroyed more than five hundred years ago.

It is also broken at the moment, but Yuuri sees it as more of a challenge, if nothing else.

His portable tablet is plugged into an adapter, which, in turn, is connected to the main monitor. The computer is displaying less error messages now, if Victor's translations of the system texts are of any indication.

He hasn't expected the l'Cie to know that he'd majored in information technology in college, and that the job he'd applied for was as technical support for the Sanctum's master server.

"L'Cie in crystal stasis are aware of everything," Victor says nonchalantly. "We're not nearly as omniscient as the gods, but it's close enough."

Yuuri cocks his head to the side expectantly, prompting Victor for more proof, to which the latter gleefully obliges. "Your friends, Yuko and Takeshi, got married a month before you left. She's expecting triplets, by the way."

"Wow!" Yuuri exclaims, not knowing if the astonishment stems from the surprise news or from the fact that Victor _does_ know (almost) everything. The l'Cie winks back playfully in response, causing him to flush quicker than ever, feeling hot in certain areas more than others.

"... So, you know," he eventually manages to get out. "How I've always felt... when I was younger."

There goes that beautiful, hearty laugh again. "If I didn't know, I wouldn't have come find you all these months ago, now, would I?"

Yuuri has nothing to say against that.

"But I'm not in crystal stasis now," Victor continues on, inching closer to Yuuri on all fours. He notices the mark of the l'Cie peeking out of the other man's loose shirt. The change in color has already progressed two-thirds through.

They don't have enough time - _they never did_. (Who is Yuuri kidding?)

"- Is there something you'd like to tell me?"

 _Why are you wasting time (on me), what is your Focus, go finish the damned thing or you'll turn into a Cie'th, don't die, don't leave me, I lov-_

"Nothing in particular," Yuuri finally says, turning back to the ancient computer screen and inputting some more commands. "We need to finish this before sunrise."

"Right you are," Victor murmurs, and the matter is dropped. The l'Cie continues reciting translations to Yuuri, the remnants of a rueful smile lingering on his lips.

.

They reach Victor's old hometown after a few weeks, following the coordinates provided by the old database. The whole place has been frozen over, including the giant wave that threatened to crash into it.

It is eerily beautiful and haunting, and it causes Victor to all but break down on the spot.

Yuuri holds on to Victor's trembling fist, but the other man pulls away, downcast. "I need to be alone for a while... _Please._ "

He watches the l'Cie's retreating back in silence, the frigid wind blowing through those short, silver locks. It hurts him very, very much.

Left with nothing else to do, Yuuri aimlessly wanders around the ghost town, kicking away the snow and small chunks of ice to read the street signs - they're all in the old language, anyway, so it's pointless, really. (At least, he can periodically mark his way like this and not get lost later.)

He stops at a sparsely-decorated bridge and observes the frozen river underneath. He blinks away a sudden ideation of a bus crossing it, shielding his running form from the rising sun. And Victor would be on the other side, waving at him to " _come here faster_ ".

A life where Victor isn't a l'Cie, and they lead normal lives. Do ice skating. Live happily together.

Yuuri's heart breaks at the thought.

He knows how all this will end. Victor - beautiful, _beloved_ Victor - will complete his divine task and return to his crystal slumber, while he will die a wretched, goddamned human, alone and forever tainted by history as the one who dared love a l'Cie.

A gust of cold wind blows from the north, carrying with it quiet, heart-wrenching, anguished sobs, filled with loneliness and bitterness and regret. Yuuri breaks into a run, searching for the familiar voice that cried for him from far, far away.

He finds Victor standing before a large edifice encased in ice, his eyes glazed over and devoid of light. A swell of waves frozen in time bursts out from the building's entrance, at the center of which is a young boy with blond, chin-length hair and emerald green eyes, dressed in a shimmering white leotard. His last expression is frozen in one of pure terror, as his outstretched hand grasps nothing but thin air.

The horrifying image, the opposite of Victor's own while in stasis, is burned in Yuuri's mind, and he is suddenly made aware of the painful burden the l'Cie has had to carry for the past five hundred years, ever-growing in his heart and granting his mind no rest, all while his body is trapped in cold, unfeeling crystal.

Yuuri embraces Victor, letting his hot tears seep through the other man's clothing. Victor soon keels over, burying his face in Yuuri's neck as he sobs violently. "Yura... Yakov... _The whole town..._ Because of me..."

"It's all right," Yuuri answers, slowly rubbing circles onto Victor's back.

"I never wanted to be a l'Cie!" Victor shouts, his whole body shaking in anger and frustration. "I don't want this... I want to die..."

"Mm." Victor, of all people, is truly the most qualified to say that. Yuuri cannot even begin to fathom how much weight those words really carry.

"I want to be with you forever."

Yuuri's hand stills at the revelation. All the wishful thinking comes back in a sudden rush, overwhelming his heart with feelings of part sadness and part joy. And though it is very selfish of him, he lets out a staggered breath in relief, letting out the rising tension forming from within.

"I will be right here."

 _Forever, too, let the gods be damned._

.

((They make love that night beneath thin, scratchy sheets, sharing the little warmth that remained between their tangled legs and beating hearts. And Yuuri vows, no matter what, to stay by Victor's side and never leave.))

.

"Tell me about your Focus."

Victor sits up with a start, as if it were the last thing he expected Yuuri to say while in bed. They have been avoiding this matter for weeks now, finding it easier to fall back into routine - Victor hunting, Yuuri cooking, and them both fucking at night.

They measure time in moments now, in funny, domestic gaffes and stories about each other's lives. Yuuri talks about the hot springs from his hometown and his friends from college, while Victor opens up about his past life as a champion figure skater - his overbearing coach, his rinkmates and competitors, and Yuri Plisetsky.

 _(("The gods had chosen Yura. I had to protect him."_

 _"For what it's worth, I'm glad you're a l'Cie. It led me to you."))_

They both know it won't last forever, so they treasure each day as it comes.

"What did you see?" Yuuri rephrases his question, turning to look Victor in the eye. He traces the l'Cie brand on his lover's chest with trepidation, all but a fifth of it already transformed in color.

Victor considers Yuuri's words, seemingly lost in thought as he absently draws figure eights on the other man's naked thigh. His eyes glisten with tears, which he quickly blinks back before they could even fall.

"Hellfire," the l'Cie begins, and Yuuri props himself up, listening in earnest. "Everything up in flames. A creature roaring in the distance. Yet..." He pauses, trying to make sense of his own words.

Yuuri leans in closer, the worry lingering in his eyes as he hangs on to every word.

"... Oddly, I felt happy," Victor continues, feeling conflicted himself. "Like it was the best thing that could ever happen. And it terrified me." He draws his human lover close and buries his head into the crook of the other man's neck. "So I ran away."

Yuuri laughs emptily, despite himself. "And took me with you."

"That I did," Victor agrees with a chuckle. He brings his lips close to Yuuri's ear. "You're the only one who matters now. No one else."

Yuuri turns redder than the fresh meat they'd had for dinner, despite the fact that they have just finished doing more sinful things prior to this conversation. It is unfair how this beautiful, otherworldly man still manages to do things to him, even after already having seduced him completely, in body, mind, and soul.

Well, that's one serious moment ruined; he might as well.

He hungrily tackles Victor with a deep kiss in response, and things devolve from there.

((They _will_ talk in the morning; Yuuri will make sure of that.))

.

Victor doesn't wake up the next morning.

Yuuri tries his hardest not to panic, wiping a cold towel onto the l'Cie's burning forehead with one hand while holding down his convulsing form with the other. Only a tenth of the brand has not progressed yet, and even that fraction is steadily diminishing by the hour.

At some point, he frantically calls out to Shiva for help. A blue aura envelops Victor in response, slightly lowering his body temperature to a more manageable level. Even then, it does not stop the brand from advancing to its final stage, and Yuuri gasps when he sees that only the pointed embellishments of the l'Cie mark are left untouched.

It is not the first time he has felt powerless, but this time, it strikes him so much, and he _wails_.

"Gods, _please_! Don't take Victor away from me!" Yuuri screams loudly in between violent hiccups and nerve-wracking sobs. "He's suffered long enough! He doesn't _deserve_ this!"

And then, "I'll do _anything_ you ask of me! I'll be a l'Cie in his place! So please _let him live!_ "

All at once, Victor's mark shines a blinding, bright blue, enveloping Yuuri's whole being until he could see no more. He is consumed by a sea of fire, stretching across the whole town, rapidly melting the ice and incinerating everything in the pure, red flames.

Yuuri opens his eyes and finds himself unhurt. He immediately looks around for Victor, panicking when his lover is nowhere to be found. A loud, feral roar rings throughout the entire area, and a great beast with two long horns descends before him.

Bracing himself, he makes his way to the creature, the sea of fire parting with each step. He looks it straight in the eye. "Where is Victor?" Yuuri demands.

"He is not here," comes the solemn, gravelly response. "You shall not pass."

Yuuri's fist shakes in anger, his teeth clenched so hard it bleeds from the corner of his mouth. He raises his head and stares the creature down. "Let me go through."

The beast roars in his face and breathes out fire. Yuuri does not flinch.

"I love Victor," he declares. "I promised to stay by his side and never leave. Nothing and no one will stop me from going to him." His eyes narrow, and he spits out the last words. "Not even you, _Ifrit_."

The eidolon slams its fist into the ground, and pillars of lava rise up in succession. Some stray drops of hot liquid fly into Yuuri's face, body, arms and legs, and he winces in pain, but remains undaunted. He goes even closer, his goal plain in sight amidst the barrage of rocks and dazzling flames.

As he does, Yuuri raises his voice once more, shouting with finality. "I am your master. _Submit to me at once!_ "

His command is punctuated by the same burst of molten rock and fire, and a single word enters his mind: _Hellfire._

The sea of flames burn brighter than ever, until it turns white-hot and Yuuri no longer feels anything but the searing pain of a l'Cie brand marking itself on his back.

A barrage of visions assault his mind in quick succession, but he is able to understand everything all at once.

It is the story of Victor's past.

.

 _((Victor is horrified upon seeing the accursed mark on Yuri's forearm, the brand almost completely consumed. "Why do you have this?"_

 _Yuri brusquely slaps his rinkmate's hand away, readjusting the sleeves on his one-piece costume. "Things_ happened _, okay?" he says through clenched teeth. "Don't pry, old man. And don't tell anyone."_

 _The older skater quickly falls into step behind his junior. "What is your Focus, Yura?"_

 _"Like_ hell _I'd know!" Yuri snaps, angrily stomping his right skate onto the matted ground. "Just go away already. You're distracting me."_

 _The young skater stalks off towards the rink, muttering something incomprehensible. Victor thinks he hears a choked sob before the door is slammed shut.))_

 _._

 _((He shouldn't have left Yuri alone._

 _Victor is filled with dread as the live feed from the rink shows Yuri clutching his head in pain in the middle of his short program, the commentators and reporters a cacophony of confused shouting as they wonder what in the world just happened. Yakov, too, is beside himself with worry._

I'm sorry, Yura, _he thinks, not bothering to finish lacing up his skates, going straight to the kiss-and-cry instead.))_

 _._

 _((Everything goes to hell soon after._

 _The dike walling off the ocean from their below-sea level town has broken, and water is flowing in fast. Ironically, it's the skating rink that is submerged first._

 _Yuri is still unconscious in Yakov's arms, while Lilia and Georgi part the panicking spectators to escort them out. And it works really well, once they see the telltale beam of light penetrating the white of his costume sleeve._

 _Victor meets them at the lobby, checking on the young boy's brand panickedly. Almost the whole mark has already been colored in._

 _He is too late.))_

 _._

 _((Victor holds onto Yuri for dear life, and prays like he's never prayed before._

"Yuri is still young. He doesn't deserve this... I'll take his place, so let him live!..."

 _Really, he doesn't know what he's wishing for. But it works, and now all he sees is an icy wasteland. The beautiful, blue-skinned eidolon taunts him, for lack of a better word, and all he can do is beg for everything to be over.))_

 _._

 _(("Everything" soon came to and end with the blink of an eye._

 _He wakes up to a dead, frozen town, "Diamond Dust" on his lips and everyone else's blood on his hands._

 _It is Yuri's face that seals the deal, forever frozen in time as he shouts for Victor to not do this._

 _He is terrified, so he runs away, not to return for another five hundred years.))_

 _._

 _((The gods finally take pity on him after more than a century of flitting between l'Cie and crystal, wandering and killing and fending for himself. He slumbers in the middle of an abandoned forest, and there he waits for a miracle, his tired hands reaching for the sky._

 _It comes nearly four hundred years later, in the form of Yuuri.))_

.

"He was not weak," Yuuri murmurs, kneeling before Victor's still form, the whole town burnt away around them beyond recognition. He clasps both cold hands into his own, reciting the incantation of a Cure spell. A gentle, green light bathes Victor's hands, soon extending to the rest of his body. His erratic breathing soon evens out, his cheeks and lips now less pale.

"You've been fighting alone all these years," Yuuri whispers, finally coming undone, letting his tears fall onto Victor's hands. "It's all right, I'm here."

 _"I love you so much."_

Victor slowly comes back to life. Bright, blue eyes gaze into serene brown ones, and he raises his hand to cradle Yuuri's cheek, delivering his happiest, most beautiful smile in more than five hundred years.

"My Yuuri," he begins, and it floods his whole being with boundless joy, "I could ask for nothing more."

They share a tender kiss in an expanse of ash and rubble, two beings cursed to live forever with powers they never wanted, not knowing what future awaits them in a cruel world that abhors their existence.

But maybe eternity isn't such a bad thing, when spent in the arms of the one you love.

"I love you," Victor says, his hands freezing in place around Yuuri's torso as shards of crystal form around them. He doesn't move away, playfully bumping against his lover's forehead with his own. Their crystalline forms share an expression of pure bliss, their eyes shining with boundless love, unadulterated joy and the promise of forever.

It is the most beautiful thing anyone has ever seen.


End file.
